Airstrikes carried out by the air component of Operation Whirl Punch have neutralized numerous terrorists involved in an attack on security personnel in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. Reports indicate that over 100 terrorists engaged operatives from various security agencies in an intense gunfight.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Group Captain Kabiru Ali, Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force, confirmed that the security operatives requested air support during the confrontation. The airstrikes were launched in response, and following the operation on Wednesday, 28 bodies of the terrorists had been recovered. Ali also mentioned that several other terrorists, along with weapons and burnt motorcycles, were still being cleared from the scene.
He emphasized that this operation showcases the Nigerian Air Force’s continued commitment to collaborating with other security agencies in the nationwide fight against crime. The Shiroro Local Government Area has become a notorious hotspot for banditry and insurgency activities in recent times.
The region has witnessed repeated attacks by bandits, which previously led to the military withdrawing its forces from the area due to significant losses incurred during confrontations with these criminal elements. The recent airstrike is seen as part of a larger effort to restore security and suppress the growing banditry in the region.
